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Fri, 18 Aug 2017 01:03:07 -0400Joomla! - Open Source Content Managementen-gbWhat if a team draws another penalty while on a 5v3?http://www.thehockeyresource.ca/hockey-resources/beginners-corner/faqs/What-if-a-team-draws-another-penalty-while-on-a-5v3
http://www.thehockeyresource.ca/hockey-resources/beginners-corner/faqs/What-if-a-team-draws-another-penalty-while-on-a-5v3

This is an interesting question and it does happen from time to time in hockey games, especially ones where there is alot of physical play.

Essentially, the penalized player goes into the penalty box and the opponents must place another player on the ice. (3 is the minimum amount of players a team can have on the ice)

The penalty is then added to the clock but time will not start counting down until one of the other penalties is expired. The game stays at 5 on 3 until only time on only one penalty remains. (if there is a stoppage of play, the player who's penalty time has expired can return to the bench)

For example:

Clock time 10:00, a 2:00 penalty (player 1) and a 5:00 penalty (player 2) are given out (5v3). At 9:00 another 2:00 penalty is given, (player 3). Player 1 has 1:00 of his penalty remaining while player 2 has 4:00 remaining.

Play continues with 5v3. At 8:00 the penalty of player 1 has expired and the penalty of player 2 starts. Still 5v3, remaining penalties player 1 - 0:00, player 2- 3:00, player 3 - 2:00

At the next whistle, player 1 can return to the bench but the game remains 5v3 until 6:00 where player 3's penalty is over and he can jump back on the ice.

If a goal is scored at any time, the penalty with the least amount of time remaining (and that is counting down) is over.

If there are any subsequent penalties, they are added to the penalty "queue" and their time starts couting down when the time of one of the active penalties is expired.

We just concluded the first day of this year's edition of Phil Martin's Goalie Academy. The on-ice session was followed by some good off-ice which should benefit all the goaltenders. Most importantly, all the goaltenders enjoyed themselves.

We also go some video of both the on-ice and off-ice session so we can review the drills, address any issues we didn't see at the time and show how the drills should be done properly.

This year's edition of Phil Martin's Goalie Academy promises to be the best one yet!

This is one of the questions I see quite often posted on ask yahoo. Am I too old to start playing hockey?

The answer is simple - absolutely not!

First of all hockey is a sport that is enjoyed by players of all ages, from 3 years old up to 70+. Regardless of your age, as long as you are willing to learn how to skate and play the game you will be able to compete and have fun. In our region the leagues are arranged by age and level of play. Age ranges are set at 2 years to allow players of approximately the same size and maturity to play together and allow younger players to be competitive with each other instead of letting the older kids dominate due to their physical maturity.

We have the following age ranges: Hockey School, Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget and Juvenile.

For each of these age categories there are different levels of skill in competitive and non-competitive leagues.

Competitive:

AA - Major AA - Minor A or B - Major A or B - Minor

In the Competitive leagues there is usually a further segregation in age to allow the players to really compete with their peers. Their first year in that age range the players are referred to as "Minor" while in their second year they are "Major". Usually there will be an elite AA team and sometimes even a AAA team which combines players from a larger geographical area. There will then also be an A or B competitive team for both Major and Minor ages. Competitive teams travel quite a bit which makes the hockey more expensive. They usually practise several times a week and take part in a variety of tournaments. Teams are composed of the best players in their age range.

For House-League teams, the play is more relaxed, although the level can be competitive, there are less practises and less tournaments and the games are mostly local. There are usually three levels of house league play.

A B C

For house league, minor and major players are grouped together. The better players play at the A level while weaker players play at the C level and average players play in the B level. This tiered system is good as it enables strong players to play together and it lets weaker players develop by competing against players of their calibre. Without this system, the good players would always have the puck and leave the weaker players behind which would leave little room for the weaker players to play with the puck and develop their passing/shooting skills.

For the Adult levels, there are also a variety of tiers. Each league has many different levels of play so teams of a similar level can play against eachother instead of getting blown out every game. For example my current league (Minto hockey league) has 12 levels and 1 level for players above 35 years of age. Other leagues in ottawa also have different levels (OSMHL has 9, travellers has 19 levels + 5 levels for players above 35 years of age).

Regardless of your skill level, there is a league out there that will have players of similar calibre to you so you can learn, improve and have fun!

The goaltender glove is the most versatile piece of equipment. Not only is it used to make amazing saves, it is also used to cover up loose pucks and handle the stick. Having a good glove is therefore extremely important to ensure good goaltending performance. This buyer's guide will help you assess which glove is best for you!

In the early hockey years, goaltenders wore the same gloves as players used. They offered little protection and did not cover much surface area. The goaltender glove as we know it today has its origins in the 1940s when goaltenders started using baseball gloves to more easily stop the puck. Goaltenders then started experimenting with various glove sizes and designs to improve their ability to stop the puck and increase protection. This led to the style of glove that is used today.

Glove terminology

Basket or Pocket: The portion of the glove used to trap the puck. It consists of a layer of rigid material (usually plastic covered with leather) forming a T and joined to the glove using webbing to form a flexible pocket. The shape of the pocket varies from glove to glove with some manufacturers using multiple rigid sections in the pocket.

Palm: The palm of the glove is the main portion of the glove which covers the palm of the hand. It is composed of a rigid plastic covered with leather as well as padding to cusion shots. The palm also features a break to allow the glove to close.

Cuff: The cuff is a rigid portion of the glove used to protect the wrist. It is composed of a rigid plastic covered in leather with very thick padding.

Back: The back of the glove is the portion that wraps behind the hand. It has very little padding as it is normally not used to stop pucks unless the goaltender is out of position. It does offer some protection from skates or slashes.

Sizing and fit

Unlike goaltender pads, there is no real sizing choice when buying a goalie glove. The size of the glove is determined by the age (size) of the goaltender. Manufacturers usually have sizes based on age -> Youth (5-8), Junior (9-12) , Intermediate (13-16) and Senior (17+) gloves. It is therefore relatively easy to determine which glove is the right one for you. The age ranges for each size of glove are only an indication and will vary depending on the size of each goaltender.

When you put the glove on, it should be large enough so it does not feel too tight. Your fingers should not touch the end of the channels and you should be able to easily tie the wrist strap around your wrist. Ensure this strap is tight enough so the glove will not come off but not as tight as to cut circulation.

You should also ensure the straps for your pinky finger and thumb are in the correct position (not too far so your fingers cannot fit in them) and you are able to tighten them. These straps will help you open and close the glove and ensure it stays in the proper position relative to your hand. Finally, some gloves have an adjustment to tighten the padding around the back of your hand. This should be tight to allow the glove to better follow your hand movements. In the particular glove I use, there are two adjustment straps for the hand.

Pro vs mid-range

Manufacturers of goaltender equipment usually have a pro-spec glove (same model used by NHL goaltenders) and a less expensive Mid-range senior glove. This glove is meant to be adequate for most goaltenders that do not play at a high or professional level and don't require (and generally can't make use of) that extra bit of performance. I have used both types of gloves playing hockey and I would have to say that most probably won't notice any difference between the two gloves. However if you are playing at high caliber divisions or at a professional level, the mid-range glove just does not cut it. Having compared the goal pads previously, I can also say the mid-range glove does not perform as well when the level of hockey is increased. Keep in mind these are my experiences with the gloves I own and have used. Some of the differences could be attributed to glove design rather than the difference between a pro and mid-range glove. However as they are both from the same manufacturer, the design should be similar.

Mid-Range glove

Pro Glove

The main difference between the two gloves is the amount of padding and the quality of the materials. The general construction remains about the same with both gloves having a great fit, similar strapping systems and overall design. I have found that the mid-range glove lacks padding in the break on the palm. In fact, at the break itself and approx 1cm to each side (see picture), there is no padding other than the leather. If shots hit near the break, it can be quite uncomfortable and even painful. The pro glove, has an added strip of plastic and padding that covers the break while keeping flexibility and allows the glove to absorb more of the impact of the puck.

The "T" of the glove pocket is also better on the pro glove. It has a plastic piece integrated to add some rigidity and allow the pocket to stay opened at all times. The mid-range glove "T" is only composed of leather and does not keep its shape as well. Furthermore, the attachment between the base of the "T" and the palm is much more rigid on the pro glove. This ensures the pocket keeps its shape while loose attachment of the mid-range glove can cause the pocket to collapse. This could allow a puck to bounce out of the pocket.

Finally, the quality of the materials is much better in the pro glove versus the mid-range one. The pro glove uses more resistant leather, better padding, plastic inserts that add protection and rigidity and more durable stitching. While the Pro glove has worked flawlessly for years with only some signs of wear, the mid-range glove has had a few issues. The webbing detached in multiple places which required re-threading and re-attachement. The stiching for the padding protecting the back of the hand also ripped through a layer of leather. Although this is mostly cosmetic, there is a possibility that the padding can "flap" around and expose a hole larg enough for a puck to go through and come into contact with the hand.

Preferences and Conclusion

I personally love the TPS bionic glove as it was designed with the help of an orthopedic surgeon to consider ergonomics. When it came out it was quite apart from the others out there and most of the goaltenders I knew thought it was the best glove available. I have stuck with TPS gloves since the bionic as they all have used mostly the same design and feel just as good as the bionic. However with the purchase of TPS by Sher-Wood, I will have to try them all out again and see which glove fits my hand the best!

Gloves are really a personal preference. They are all similar mostly due to the strict regulations for glove sizing. Where it matters is how the glove feels on your hand, where the break is located, how the straps feel, how well you can handle the puck with the glove on. Some prefer deeper pockets, or different angles of the glove palm but fit and feel is what you should look for. To know which one best fits you it is important to try a few gloves, opening and closing your hand to see if the break is in the right spot. Look at the adjustments to see if you can get the glove to have the right feeling. The worst thing is to buy a 500$+ glove that does not break in the proper place, feels awkward and does not protect adequately.

It has already been 3 days since we released our first guide How to put on goaltender equipment but we haven't been sitting idle! We have plenty of ideas for articles and are planning on adding more drills and guides soon. The last few days have been dedicated to ensuring these articles will be accessible and organised while complete (this means a few logistical problems to solve on the software side).

In the next few days, I plan on bringing you a comparison on stick materials, advantages and disadvantages and what may be best for you (also touching on the engineering side of things). Not specifically a buying guide but more an overview of what is available. Once this information is available, it should pave the way for goalie stick and player stick buying guides as both have different sets of requirements.

In the meantime, if you have any comments or suggestions please let us know!